8 Useful Things to Know Before You Visit Cyprus
Did you decide to spend a couple of days in Cyprus? Great!
Before you visit Cyprus, there are a few things you should know in advance.
This blog post includes all the useful information to make your dream trip as smooth as possible and to learn more about the small country in the Mediterranean Sea!
Btw, it’s never a mistake to check out a complete Cyprus travel guide to find the best accommodations, restaurants, beaches, etc.!
(This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a certain percentage of a sale if you purchase after clicking.)
1. Cyprus is Part of The European Union
Despite its location close to Turkey; Lebanon and Syria, Cyprus has been a European country and part of the European Union since May 2004.
Even though the country is divided (I’ll talk about this later on in this post), the whole of the country is EU territory.
Currency
Most of the countries belonging to the EU use the Euro as currency and so does Cyprus. Since 2008, it’s been the country’s official currency, replacing the old one called the Cypriot pound or lira.
In the northern part of the island tho, the official currency is the Turkish lira (another fact, I’ll explain soon).
Visa Requirements
If you live in the EU, USA, Canada, Australia, or the UK you don’t need a visa if you visit Cyprus.
However, if you’re a non-EU visitor, you need a passport valid for at least three months from the date of entry (six months if you’re from Australia). Visitors from the EU need a valid passport for the duration of their stay only.
The fact you (probably) don’t need a visa makes traveling to Cyprus really easy. But if you plan on staying more than 90 days in the country, you have to get a registration certificate.
If you want to get more information about all the requirements and visa applications on the Cyprus Visa website.
2. The Country is Divided Into Two Parts
Cyprus’ modern history has always been full of tensions between the Greek and Turkish people living there.
In 1974, Turkey invaded the northern part of Cyprus – apparently in response to a military coup on the island by the Greek government.
Since then, the country has been divided and the Turkish Cypriot government now runs the northern third whereas the Greek Cypriots lead the two-thirds in the south.
Its capital city Nicosia is the last divided city in the entire world. It’s even possible to cross the Ledra Street Border there.
Official Languages
Being divided into two parts also means the country has two different official languages. In the south, the everyday spoken language is Cypriot Greek whereas, in the north, people communicate in Cypriot Turkish.

3. There’s Left-Hand Traffic
Something I hadn’t known before and found out only shortly after we booked our rental car for our road trip in Cyprus is that there’s left-hand traffic.
For someone who hardly drives long distances not to mention on a motorway – well, it was a real shock. Nevertheless, I drove most of the time and it was better than I’d expected.
If you’re from the UK, Malta, Australia, India, etc. great, you’re already used to it. But if you’re used to driving on the right side of the road like me, it can be quite a challenge.
The best is if you rent an automatic car – you can do that beforehand, for example via DiscoverCars – and always stay on the left side!
Plus don’t forget the turn indicators are on the right and windscreen wipers on the left side of the steering wheel.
Speed Limits
The speed limits in Cyprus are
100 km/h on motorways
80 km/h on other roads
50 km/h in built-up areas.
If you drive 100 km/h on the motorway you’ll probably see many cars pass you at a higher speed. Apparently, police only stop you if you exceed 120 km/h but there’s a huge number of mobile speed checks.
4. Sockets and Power Plugs Are of Type G
The left-hand traffic isn’t the only thing Cyprus got from the British colonization back then.
Like in the UK, the power plugs and sockets are of type G.
So if you visit Cyprus and you’re not from the UK, don’t forget to pack an adapter!
If you’re from Europe, Australia or Asia you can easily use your electric appliances in Cyprus because the standard volt is 240 V and the frequency is 50 Hz.
However, if you’re from the US, Canada or South America you’ll need a voltage converter.

5. The Island is The Birthplace of Aphrodite
Even though Aphrodite is a Greek goddess, her birthplace is said to be Cyprus.
A geological formation of huge rocks named “Petra tou Romiou” along a beautiful coastline is the place where Aphrodite was born.
According to legends, the Greek goddess rose from the waves and was then brought on a shell to this specific beach.
Some popular myths say that if you swim around the rock three times it’ll bring you eternal youth, good luck, fertility, true love, and beauty!
Who wants to give it a try?

6. Temperature Differences Can be Significant
I learned during my time in Cyprus that temperature could vary a lot depending on which part of the island you are in.
For example, if you visit Cyprus in winter and want to explore the Troodos Mountains, be prepared for temperatures around zero and icy wind.
I really underestimated these temperature differences and didn’t pack enough warm clothes.
The day we went to the mountains the weather in Larnaca was really warm with temperatures around 15 degrees Celsius. Whereas in the mountains they were as slow as 5 degrees Celsius with a strong wind.
Even if you visit Cyprus in summer, don’t forget to pack appropriate clothes if you want to explore the higher-located parts of the island as well.

7. Getting Drunk in Public is a No-Go
Enjoying a glass of wine or one or two cocktails with some friends in a Cypriot bar is completely acceptable and that’s what locals do too. However, public binge drinking is mostly considered shameful and frowned upon.
This is mostly because certain parts of Cyprus are Muslim whereas other parts are Greek Orthodox.
So if you don’t want to attract public attention and people staring at you avoid getting drunk.
8. Cypriots Are Very Helpful People
Last but not least, there’s one thing you’ll recognize very fast if you visit Cyprus: Cypriots are SUPER friendly and helpful!
On our first day on the island, we were looking for our apartment but couldn’t find it. A man who saw how desperate we were, approached us and offered his help. Thanks to him, we found our apartment only a few minutes later.
Another time when we walked down the road to the sea caves, a small bus stopped next to us. It was a tour guide showing tourists around and he insisted on taking us with him the rest of the way.
It was such a nice and kind gesture, we couldn’t thank him enough. He even offered us two free spots for the rest of his tour but we rejected them since we had other plans.
Be prepared for a heartily welcome in Cyprus! 🙂

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Here are some of my favorite travel tips and resources:
Flights: I prefer using CheapOair to book flights. I often search for “Anywhere” to uncover the best flight deals!
Accommodation: Booking.com is my favorite site to find some great hotel deals.
Travel Insurance: There are many reasons why travel insurance is important and I never travel without one. I use the simple and flexible one from SafetyWing that protects me against unforeseen events.
Tours: I love taking tours to explore destinations like a local. My favorite website to book them in advance is GetYourGuide.
Camera Gear: I use a Nikon D5300 camera with an 18-105 mm and a 10-20 mm wide-angle lens to take my photos.
So much useful information and tips! Thanks so much for sharing, I’m definitely bookmarking this for reference when I (hopefully) get to visit soon!
Glad you find it helpful Emma 🙂
This is so helpful! Thanks so much. I’ve always wondered about Cyprus. My friend has been trying to get me to visit for a few years now. HAHA But I keep putting him off.
Oh you should go it’s amazing!
This information is super helpful for planning a trip to Cyprus. I didn’t know the country was divided or that two different languages were spoken!
It’s so interesting isn’t it?!
Can anyone answer where in Cypress is all the cats someone said on Instagram they have a lot and what’s the best time of year to visit
This is a very informative post! It definitely seems different than mainland Greece, would love to visit!
It’s a great country 🙂
I would love to plan a trip to Cyprus and these are all great tips! I had no idea that Aphrodite was born in Cyprus. I would absolutely be taking a swim around Petra tou Romiou, maybe 6 times just in case. 🙂
Thanks for the fantastic guide! We’ve never had the opportunity to visit Cyprus, I’m saving your guide in the hopes we’ll get the chance to visit!
Hannah | https://getlost.blog/
Glad you find it helpful! 🙂
Very useful and practical tips here!
Thanks! 🙂
Thank you for sharing 🙂 This is such a great post! I went to Cyprus two years ago and I loved it! As you say, the locals are very helpful and friendly.
Glad you had a good time as well 🙂
I have always wanted to go to Cyprus mainly because I am obsessed with Halloumi Cheese but now I want to go even more for other reasons because it looks freaking gorgeous!
Hahaha good reason! 😀 It’s an amazinfg island 🙂
This post was so informative, loved all the tips! Cyprus is still on my travel bucket list so I saved your post for later. 🙂 Thank you for sharing!
Glad you like it Kriszti, thanks ☺️
I enjoyed this post. Lots of useful information – thank you. I didn’t know Cypress was the birthplace of Aphrodite!
Glad you like it Sharyn 🙂
Great information and tips! I’ve never been to Cyprus but would love to visit one day.
Cyprus is really beautiful 🙂
I have never been in Cyprus, so these tips might come handy. I’ll save them for later so I can easily find them when I ever travel to Cyprus.
Glad you find them helpful!
This is a super helpful article Alina and your photos have really inspired me to go to Cyprus!
Thanks a lot Taylor 🙂
Such a helpful blogpost! Cyprus is so high on our bucket list, we will definitely check out this blog post when we travel there! Thanks!
Glad you find it helpful!
Brilliant suggestions about things to know before visiting Cyprus. I am planning to apply for a visa and was quite surprised about the power sockets and the left-hand traffic. I will keep these in mind when I visit Cyprus.
I’m happy to hear my guide helps you planning your Cyprus trip! Have a great time 🙂